Coventry Telegraph

AUDIOLOGY SERVICES AXED AT HOSPITAL

SOME USERS HAVE HIT OUT AT THE PLANS AFTER LETTERS URGE THEM TO USE HIGH STREET OUTLETS INSTEAD

- By CLAIRE HARRISON Nuneaton Reporter news@trinitymir­ror.com

VITAL audiology services at Nuneaton’s hospital are being axed – without giving those who rely on it a chance to have their say.

Letters have been sent to those who use the service at the George Eliot Hospital that it will stop on March 31.

Instead they are being pointed in the direction of high street opticians with hearing advisors and other outlets.

This has angered many, including a woman who did not want to be named who said that both her husband and elderly mother have been hit by the decision.

“I am absolutely seething, where was the con- sultation on this?” she fumed.

“They decided just to do this without even asking anyone. My husband just received a letter saying it was going to stop at the Eliot on March 31. Both he and my mother, who is elderly, are now going to have to get into town to access this service.

“What happens to those people who don’t drive and will now have to get several buses to access this service that was previously at the hospital. I was under the impression that any change to an NHS service, there had to be a consultati­on, we have had nothing, just told when this is going to stop at the Eliot.”

While the service is run from the George Eliot Hospital site, it is in fact provided by the NHS Warwickshi­re North Clinical Commission­ing Group (CCG).

In a statement, the local CCG said: “We undertake continuous engagement and obtain ongoing feedback from patients and the public through a number of routes. They tell us that care closer to home and choice about access to services is really important.

“The CCG has taken this important patient feedback into considerat­ion, and as the audiology contract was coming to an end, the CCG included in the procuremen­t a requiremen­t for increased access for rural communitie­s and availabili­ty in a number of locations with good pub- lic transport networks. The provider awarded the contract is offering the service in a number of locations across the CCG area.

“While the service provider has changed, the service offer to patients remains the same. Patient and public feedback from engagement activity has informed the contract award. However, a formal consultati­on process was not deemed necessary in this instance as there was no change to the service offer and access locations for the service have been improved.”

The statement concluded: “We will continue to have ongoing engagement with patients to capture and monitor feedback on the service.”

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 ??  ?? George Eliot hospital in Nuneaton.
George Eliot hospital in Nuneaton.

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